Abstract
Even though a lot of attention has been directed towards risk management, disruptions are inevitably present within supply chains and should therefore be successfully managed if organizations are to thrive in today’s ever-changing world. How organizations respond to these disruptions has an impact on the relationship between the parties involved. This study explored what factors influenced buyer-supplier relationships in either a strengthening or weakening manner within a disruption context. A generic qualitative research approach was used to gather data by conducting semi-structured interviews with 24 participants that consisted of 3PLs and clients who have experienced a recent disruption between each other. This study reported on the relational factors within pre-, during- and post- disruption phases. A total of 18 strengthening factors were identified with the majority being classified into the during-disruption phase. The factors that added to existing disruption literature included having a mutual business understanding, problem solving ability and an introspective focus when resolving disruptions. Twelve weakening factors emerged from the data. Common business problems, a lack of, or weak prior relationship, no mutual business understanding and the occurrence and late detection of the disruption are novel findings. Practitioners gain value from this study as it equips them to manage supply chain disruptions successfully by highlighting important strengthening and weakening relational factors to consider when working with supply chain members to resolve disruptions. The study contributes to the body of knowledge by being one of the first empirical studies conducted on the relational effects of supply chain disruptions in a developing country context.
Highlights
Chain disruptions are unexpected events that end up disturbing the normal flow of goods and services within and between organizations (Craighead, Blackhurst, Rungtusanatham, & Handfield, 2007, p. 132; Skipper & Hanna, 2009, p. 405)
They are aligned to the existing disruption literature, by borrowing facstudy’s literature review by using the influencing tors inductively from buyer-supplier relationship factors found in existing literature together with literature and deductively from the participants new factors identified during data collection and who stated whether the factors strengthened grouping them under subthemes according to the or weakened their relationships
The actual occu- this study found that the personal relarance of disruptions and the late or lack of de- tionship among individuals from the buyers and tection factor is new to disruption literature as suppliers of logistics services appears to have a factors that influence supply chain relationships moderating effect on the relationships between in a negative way
Summary
Chain disruptions are unexpected events that end up disturbing the normal flow of goods and services within and between organizations (Craighead, Blackhurst, Rungtusanatham, & Handfield, 2007, p. 132; Skipper & Hanna, 2009, p. 405). Several studies in the previous decade have suggested supply chain disruption prevention through the means of effective risk management Disruptions continue to take place and have devastating effects on organizations. It increases in severity as it progresses through the links in a supply chain. It is critical that supply chain members identify, react and respond quickly and in an effective manner, to disruptions, in order to reduce their impact as much as possible It is critical that supply chain members identify, react and respond quickly and in an effective manner, to disruptions, in order to reduce their impact as much as possible (Chang, Ellinger, & Blackhurst, 2015, p. 643)
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